The housing crisis in Sackville is growing and needs action, says group to town council
If there were any Sackville town councillors not aware of the developing crisis in housing in the region, that was put to an end on Monday night, after a presentation to council by the Tantramar Affordable Housing Initiative.
Sackville residents Reggie Beal, Ashley Legere and Alice Cotton gave an an eye-opening presentation on the situation being faced by some Sackville families, including testimony from Legere and Beal, who are both facing loss of their current homes.
“It’s very scary,” Beal told council. The home he’s been renting is being sold, and Beal needs to leave. But he says that after 6 months of looking, he can’t find an affordable place to go, even with a full time employment income. Beal works at Rose’s Independent alongside Mayor Shawn Mesheau, who said he’s familiar with Beal’s predicament. “It is an emotional situation,” said the Mayor Monday. “And it affects more people than we realize.”
Ashley Legere is a Sackville resident and Wellness Navigator with Ensemble Moncton. She found out this past weekend that she has three months to find a new home after the house she is renting was sold. The irony of her situation wasn’t lost on Legere. “My job is to literally find housing for individuals who are experiencing homelessness,” she told council. “And I’m going to be probably the first Wellness Navigator who is also going to end up homeless.”… Continue